Careful Preparations
by Th3Hybr1d
Summary: She'd spent weeks studying him- habits, sleeping patterns, day-to-day schedule. A few months had passed while she planned meticulously, and it was about to pay off. Revenge would be hers. (One-shot)


**A/N: just something I came up with over the weekend. In my playthrough of Three Houses I went with the Blue Lions (after I beat that route, I will quickly correct my path) and got a massive dose of feels. Reading through the alternate paths gave me varying levels of emotions, Crimson Flower especially. Hope you enjoyed this as much as me! **

The castle was always a place of excitement during the daytime; servants hurrying around to prepare meals or make sure the rooms were tidy, emissaries dashing to their studies, it was like a colossal beehive. The hallways were traffic sites as people bustled to and from their destinations, excited yet polite voices filling the corridors.

In the evening it was more or less the same, people of every kind hurrying off to their quarters to retire from a day's work. The morning proved to be a rare moment of peace, as the sun shone through tainted panes of glass, bathing the inside of the castle with gentle warmth. With the war against the darkness finished and their enemies vanquished, there wasn't an urgentness to rise and plan out their next attack.

It was the perfect opportunity for her to practice her stealth.

From behind a towering pillar of quartz, she poked her eyes out, bright purple eyes scanning the empty hall. Her choice of attire consisted of a cream blouse and skirt, with dark crimson stockings. Her feet were concealed with black slippers to limit the possible noise they might make. There wasn't anybody in sight; that would make this much easier.

She tucked an errant strand of auburn hair behind her ear before dashing to the next pillar, seeking refuge in the shadows. Her heart pounded in her ears, liquid fire coursing through her veins as she crept through the sleeping castle. Today though, would be different.

She would finally complete her lifelong dream.

She continued advancing down the corridor, doing her best to linger in the shadows before moving. If there was the insignificant chance that he was already up, it would be best to stay out of sight, out of his seemingly all-knowing gaze. Her fingers danced along the hilt of the dagger on her belt as she pauses. Today would prove to be in her favor, and she allowed a rare smile despite herself. Victory would be sweet, like a handful of the candies her mother would sneak from the kitchen before bedtime to share between the two of them. Perhaps after her mission she would be rewarded with a few extra sweets…?

She shook herself from her thoughts. Now wasn't the time to be distracted. She had a mission to complete.

She snuck through the shadows until she arrived at a pair of simple double doors, each bordered with lavish designs. The symbol of the Adrestian Empire was engraved around the doorknob, the two halves on each door coming together to complete the crest. She took a hairpin from her ponytail and put it in the lock, fiddling with it as she remembered what she was told about lock picking, listening for both the clicking of the lock's inner workings and possible footsteps from inside the room and along the hallway-

_Click._

The lock suddenly gave way to her hand, and she had to fight down an urge to shout with glee. She settled for a victorious smirk, basking in her success before tugging the door open.

A hair thin beam of light spilled into the room, falling on the floor and the king-sized bed, covered by a thin, transparent drapery. She was quick to widen the door ever so slightly, duck into the room, then close the door behind her, waiting to hear if her entrance was detected. The seconds passed by agonizingly slow, as if they had been coated in honey and left in a pit of quicksand, but finally she heard the quiet, constant breaths of the sleeping occupants. She breathed a sigh of relief. She had come so close, she wasn't about to mess up now.

She took her time to inspect the room, surprised to see it lacking any expensive furniture or jewelry on the mahogany dresser, which was as long as she was tall. In fact, it looked like any other common bedroom, except for the single tiara resting on a bust besides the bed. The wall above the dresser was filled with portraits of the ruling pair of the Empire, smiling for the painter. Each painting had them in a different, more elaborate dress. Yet they appeared to genuinely smile, pure happiness and affection for each other in their eyes, further demonstrated by the side glances the painter caught them making, or the hand holding seen in every portrait. There never was a happier couple in the Empire, never a love that burned as bright or as fierce.

She tore her gaze away from the testaments of love to remove her dagger from the belt, creeping over to the bed. Five feet away… then four, three, two… the curtain was just within reach, embroidered with crimson flowers along the edges.

Behind the curtains, a silhouetted figure rose from the bed, stretching their arms over their head. She instinctively froze, then ducked down beneath the mattress as she heard a yawn. Her heart was racing in her chest, and she had to take deep, silent breaths and wait for it to calm down. She waited until ten seconds had passed, before crawling out from under the mattress, jumping to her feet and tearing the curtain away, brandishing her weapon.

"Caught you!"

The lone occupant in the bed gave a start of surprise at the outcry, before her shock morphed into amusement as she settled back into the pillows, fondly shaking her head. The assailant blinked, her triumphant crow for naught as her target wasn't in sight.

"Honestly, Madeline?" her mother asked affectionately. "You should know by now that your father isn't an easy target to corner."

"Mother?!" she squeaked, cheeks flushed in embarrassment, her dagger nearly slipping out of her grip. ""What're you- but… I thought that-" she stuttered, before making a last attempt to regain her composure. She brandished her blade once more (it was still in its sheath) at the Empress of Adrestia. "No matter. With you as my hostage, I can finally accomplish what I came here for. I will only ask you this once: where is your husband?"

"Hmm..." Edelgard hummed, tapping her chin in thought. Her eyes glinted mischievously as a smirk formed on her face. "Well, I suppose I _could_ humor you and give you a direct answer. But why should I tell you, when he can answer himself?"

Her brows knit together before her eyes widened half a second later in understanding, but by then a shadow fell over her. A pair of hands seized her underneath her arms and lifted her into the air, prompting a panicked squeal from the young girl. She could faintly hear the deep chuckles from behind her as she struggled to break free.

"Unhand me, Father!" she commanded with as much dignity as possible. "I demand to be released this instant!"

"You were the one who snuck into our room and attempted to assassinate me in the early hours, little miss. If that wasn't enough, you then had the gall to threaten our Empress- your own mother, might I add- to disclosing my whereabouts. You had this coming, daughter."

"Please!" she finally said, as his fingers threatened to dig into her armpits and between her ribs, which were critical weak points for her.

Thankfully he obeyed her request, setting her down at the foot of the bed; as soon as he let go of her she spun around, glaring up at the slender, blue-haired man, who was still in his nightgown. Fierce, irritated violet met his bemused azure eyes.

"How did you know I was coming?!" she demanded. "I never told anyone about my plans; my preparations were flawless!"

Her father shrugged. "Whenever you're planning something, it's helpful to stay three steps ahead of the enemy. And my time serving as a mercenary taught me to sleep lightly, waking at the slightest disturbance. I believe you messing with the lock is what roused me."

"But that was several feet away from where you and mother were sleeping! I didn't hear you get out of bed!"

Byleth snorted. "I can be as stealthy as your Uncle Hubert at times. Perhaps you could ask him for suggestions about your future attempts to catch me off guard?"

Madeline groaned in frustration, replacing her dagger. "Mark my words, Father: I will be victorious one day!"

"I look forward to it," he honestly replied. "But in the meantime…" his mouth curled upward in a sly grin, and his eyes narrowed maliciously.

Then he lunged forward with a panther's agility and pinned her on her back, his fingers jabbing into her ribs, making her giggle and shriek.

"N-no, please s-stop- ahahaha!" she cried out amidst her laughing. "Mother, h-h-help me!"

"I would if I could, dearest," Edelgard adjusted herself against the mound of pillows and fidgeted with her open robe, hands coming to rest on the crest of her swollen stomach, "but I'm afraid my current condition prevents me from assisting you."

Madeline's future pleas for mercy were cut off as her father jabbed a finger deep into her armpit, prompting a shrieking laugh from her. Her arms were pinned to her sides in a feeble attempt to ward off the invading fingers.

Several moments of lighthearted torture passed before the tickling subsided, Madeline still giggling occasionally. Byleth lifted her up, gently but firmly as she wrapped her arms around his neck, carrying her over to her mother's side. He set her down between them both, draping an arm around his wife's shoulders, and she beamed at him as he rested his free hand on top of hers.

"Did you eat my brother?"

Both parents were startled at the sudden question from their child, who tilted her head at their scarlet cheeks. It was Edelgard who broke the silence with a laugh, lifting a hand up for Madeline to take. She guided her daughter's hand to rest on the side of her stomach, smiling at the awe that bloomed in her daughter's face.

"I didn't eat your brother, Madeline. She's just… growing in me."

She glanced up at her, frowning as she tried to make sense of what she was saying. "You mean… like a seed?"

Edelgard nodded.

"Is my little brother gonna look like a plant?"

"Of course not, sweetheart," Edelgard giggled, cupping her daughter's chin. "He'll be a perfectly healthy boy, like every other baby boy."

"But you said-"

"I only said he would grow _like _a plant. It's best not to take everything literally," she glanced sideways at her husband, "like some people I know would."

He rolled his eyes at her, shaking his head.

"So… he starts off small, like a seed, but then grows up like the rest of us?" Madeline asked.

"That's right. In a few weeks, he'll be ready to come out into the world, and we'll be here to greet him."

"Oh." she remained quiet, then, "How did he get in your tummy in the first place?"

Byleth let out a strangled noise, his face turning an odd shade of purple. Edelgard flicked his nose before turning to their daughter, who looked to be equal parts concerned and holding back laughter at the sight of her father.

"That's, well, a talk you won't hear until you're much older. But the main point of it is… how to explain…" she chose her words carefully, as to not create a story neither audacious nor inaccurate, "your father took your little brother when he was little, smaller than a grain of rice. He entrusted him to me to make sure he would be safe while he grew. So I took it and… put it inside me." Her face deepened to its own shade of scarlet.

"But you never said how it got inside you."

_Oh dear, _Edelgard thought, as she thought of ways to make sense from this. Her husband, unexpectedly, decided to help out. "As your mother said before, that talk won't come until you're old enough to understand."

"But-"

"Let's just say that she used a very ancient form of magic," he said, eyeing her for approval. After considering his choice she nodded. It was an old tradition, she supposed, and some would call it "magical". Madeline appeared satisfied with the answer, regardless, and turned her attention to her mother's belly. "So he'll tell you when he's ready to come out?" she asked.

"Absolutely," Edelgard said, remembering the events from her previous pregnancy. Less like telling, and more like announcing it by Edelgard's howls of pain as she was rushed to the medical wing. "Everyone will know when he's ready, I can promise that."

"As long as you tell me, I'm fine," Madeline decided, then was quiet as she rested an ear on her mother's stomach, arms spread out as if hugging her, and failing when her hands didn't come halfway around her. The Empress of Adrestia chuckled as she ran a hand through her hair, feeling a warmth flutter in her chest as Madeline yawned and closed her eyes.

After watching her daughter drift off into sleep, she noticed that Byleth was watching the two of them, his mouth curled ever so slightly in a peaceful smile.

"Motherhood looks good on you," he told her, leaning over to kiss her forehead. Her eyes fluttered, her own smile wide and jubilant.

"I have you to thank for this, you know," she said, nodding to Madeline and the unborn babe. "Before I met you, everything was bleak, pointless. I don't think I would've found joy in anything I did, even freeing the land from our enemies. But now..." she let out a sigh as she relaxed against her husband's chest, feeling a sense of security and reassurance as his chin rested lightly in her hair. "I wouldn't trade it for anything."

"I'm glad."

She pulled away, even though her heart protested against her, and gave a stern glare towards Byleth. "'I'm glad?' I know you're a man of little words, but surely you can come up with something more meaningful than that."

"What- El!" he protested, but she was having none of it.

"Not this time. I often pour my heart out to you, now it's time you reciprocate."

He sputtered at her, before falling silent. She folded her arms across her chest, waiting for an appropriate answer.

"When I first came to the Monastery," he finally began, "I wasn't looking to settle down or fall in love. I came to earn some money and teach students what I had learned. When I first met you… well, I don't want to say it was love at first sight, but seeing you nearly die at Kostas' hands… at the time I didn't understand why I nearly traded my life for yours, but I was determined to find out."

His hands rested in his lap as he talked, carelessly toying with each other.

"When the choice came for me to decide which house to join, I didn't hesitate." He met her eyes. "I wanted to know your history, what set you apart from everyone else.

"As time wore on, I was able to catch glimpses of your life, small pieces to a much larger puzzle, and I was both mystified and appalled by what I found. Something about you piqued my curiosity, and the deeper I delved, the more fascinated I became. At first I assumed that you acted the way you were because you prepared to ascend to the throne, and your attitude was how you would act once you became Empress. I wouldn't expect the future ruler of the Empire to be the subject of torturous research."

Edelgard winced at the memory of the experiments. The scars on her arms were still there, reminders of her darker past. She had kept them a secret from Madeline, since telling her daughter the story of her scars would likely traumatize her.

"When you asked me if I would stay by your side, even if it meant taking drastic measures, I wasn't lying when I promised my allegiance. I swore that my sword would be yours, and when you declared war against the church, I didn't falter. When I woke up five years later, floating down the river, I headed straight for the Monastery despite the warnings of an imperial army." His hand reached out for Edelgard's, gently clasping it.

"I promised you I wouldn't leave you. Now and forever, I'll stay by your side until my final breath."

Her eyes were watering by the time he finished, and she sniffled audibly as he placed a kiss on the back of her hand.

"I love you, El," he murmured.

"Byleth…" she whispered, words failing her. Their gazes held, small smiles exchanged as he kissed her hand once more. The moment was interrupted as Edelgard gave a deep intake of breath, panting ever so slightly and resting a hand on her side. Byleth immediately grew concerned. "What's wrong?" he asked. The baby wasn't due for several weeks, was there a complication? Something gone wrong inside her? Dozens of horrifying scenarios swarmed his head before being dismissed as his wife shook her head, giving a soft laugh.

"I think he approves of what you said," she told him, taking his hand and guiding it to her stomach. Not even a moment later, he felt a rather strong kick from the occupant within. "As does his mother."

"It was just the truth."

"And that's all that matters."

**A/N: The ending might've ended weaker than I would've liked, but I hope the fluffiness makes up for it. I was a little disappointed that the children feature in Fates and Awakening didn't carry over to Three Houses, but I suppose it would've been a lot of work to incorporate into the system, so I gave Byleth and Edelgard their own in this. Hope you liked it! If you did, how about that like and/or follow? If you didn't, perhaps leave me a PM telling me what I could do better? Reviews are always appreciated; from constructive criticism to simple appreciation.**

**Write on!**


End file.
